


Terror - OQ Prompt Party '18 (Day 1)

by jenningzx



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, OQ Prompt Party, OQ Prompt Party 2018, Oq, Outlaw Queen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-04-04 18:32:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14026173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenningzx/pseuds/jenningzx
Summary: When a bomb hits Robin's place of work, Regina is left wondering where the father of her children & her soulmate will ever return home.





	Terror - OQ Prompt Party '18 (Day 1)

Here is my entry for OQ Prompt Party, Day 1 - Prompt No. 55 'Terror Attack AU'. Had to kick this prompt week off with a bit of drama, apologies for the ending y'all; I will be following this up after prompt week with a 2nd chapter to ease your pain. Special shoutout to Tiffany (@AngstyMGstars) for helping beta this one! **TW for Terror/Terroism.**

***

**Terrorist attack (noun);  
‘a surprise attack involving the deliberate use of violence against civilians in the hope of attaining political or religious aims.’**

***

“Shit.” Regina curses, pressing the dial key on her phone for what feels like the hundredth time, “Please answer, please God answer your _damn_ phone!” 

‘Hi, you’ve reached Robin. You know what to do.’

Voicemail, _again_. 

“Robin, it’s Regina. I saw what happened on the news and I really need you to call me as soon as you get this. I need… I need to know that you’re okay. Please call me back.” Regina pleads, her voice cracking as she finishes the message and hangs up.

He wasn’t even supposed to work today.

Running her hands through her hair, Regina paces around the living room, absentmindedly dialling his number, _again_.

“Regina?” 

_Thank God!_

“Robin, fuck! Are you okay?I saw the news and… I was worried sick. Please, tell me you’re okay!” Regina urges, digging her fingernails into the palm of her hand.

That’s when she hears it, the almighty bang that makes her heart drop into the pit of her stomach.

_“Robin!”_ She screams, but there’s no answer, only the shrill tones of the phone line going dead.

Dropping the phone to the floor, Regina falls to her knees, struggling to hold back her tears.

This can’t be happening! Especially not today. It’s their _anniversary, for _fuck_ sake!_

__

“Mommy?” a small voice utters, pulling her from her thoughts, “Why you sad?” 

Damn it! Hope! In all the chaos, she’d forgotten that Hope was asleep in her bed after being sent home from preschool.

Pushing herself up, Regina beckons for her daughter to come closer.

She can’t really tell their sweet child what’s happening, that there’s a risk her daddy won’t come back home... ever. Can she?

_No!_ Not today. This isn’t happening. Robin is fine. Robin _is_ fine! Until proven otherwise, there’s still hope he’ll find his way back to them. 

Wrapping her arms around her little girl, Regina places a soothing kiss to her temple, “It’s nothing to worry about sweetheart.” Regina assures, fighting the tears, “I’m sorry I woke you up. Why don’t I fix you a drink and get you back to bed?”

“Yes! Please Mommy.” Hope smiles, rubbing her eyes, “Maybe Daddy can read to me when he gets back.”

Running her fingertips through the young girls thick blonde locks, Regina bites her lip and smiles weakly, “I’m sure Daddy would love nothing better than to read his little princess a bedtime story.” 

Hope grins widely, and Regina sighs in relief, except that she’s not relieved, but parents always protect their children and this is not the time to breakdown in front of Robin’s princess, their only daughter.

The apple of his eye.

***

Regina’s just settled Hope back into bed when her phone starts to ring. Her heart drops once more when she sees the goofy photo of Robin appear on the screen.

Thank God!

“Robin?” She answers shakily.

“Regina… love. I’m okay. We’ve found a route out of the building, but there was a secondary explosion which has trapped us in.” There’s a silence then, only betrayed by his heavy breathing and some coughing in the back. When his voice is back on the phone, his tone has entirely changed into one that Regina doesn’t like. “If I do-”

_“Don’t you dare_ , Robin Locksley! Don’t you dare say those words.” Regina says, unable to control the tears now.

“Regina, please.” He insists softly. “If I don’t come home, I need you to know how much I love you and the children. I’m going to do everything I can to get out of here okay? But if I don’t… know you made me the happiest man alive.” Robin says, his voice thick with emotions.

Regina bites her lip, digging her nails into her palm again, “Well, I love you too, but I am not saying goodbye. Especially not today.” 

She hears him cough, and winces when she looks back at the television, wondering where he might be in the building, and whether he’s hurt or not.

“Happy anniversary babe.” Robin chuckles, coughing again.

Regina cracks then.

Ten years. Ten years since he saved her. 

Ten years since they became one.

“Happy anniversary Robin.” Regina says through her tears, “Please, my love, come home to me.”

“Always, Regina. _Always_.”

And with that, the line goes dead again.

Come home to me, _please_ come back home.

 

It’s just past 2am when Regina hears the door click. She had barely slept, had just fallen into a fitful sleep until she was awoken by the sound of the door.

She hadn’t heard from Robin since their conversation earlier that afternoon, and she had spent the rest of the day doing her best to soothe her daughter whilst praying that Robin would keep his promise and come back home.

Her heart pounds as she feels the mattress dip behind her. 

“Robin?” she murmurs tentatively, unsure if she’s dreaming or her husband has in fact, survived a terrorist attack and found his way back to her, as promised. 

When she doesn’t get a response, Regina rolls over, and the sight greeting her brings tears to her eyes.  
“It’s you.” Regina says, tears streaming down her face, her hands cupping each one of his cheeks. “It’s really you.”

“A little battered and bruised but yes, Regina. It’s me.” Robin smiles, pressing a kiss to her lips, his arms snaking around her waist. “Sorry I missed our anniversary, love.”

Regina scoffs, kissing him again, “Screw our anniversary! I’m just grateful you made it home in one piece.”

Robin sighs, chewing on his bottom lip, “Some weren’t so lucky.”

“I know.” Regina replies sadly, thinking of the 256 people killed in the attack who won’t be going home to their families tonight.

“I love you, Regina.” Robin murmurs, his thumb rubbing circles into the base of her spine as they both begin to feel the tug of sleep.

“I love you too, Robin.” 

*** 

When Regina wakes up, Robin’s side of the bed is empty, and there’s a dull ache at the base of her skull.

Padding through to the kitchen, Regina rubs the sleep from her eyes. The TV is still on in the living room, her phone is on the sofa.

Robin is nowhere to be seen.

Checking her phone, Regina’s heart thumps loudly. 

_“Holy shit!”_ She curses, dropping the device the second her eyes fall on the tv, “This can’t be happening.”

That’s when she sees it. Robin’s photo amongst the 256 others reported missing on the television screen. And then it all comes flooding back, Henry calling frantic, saying he was out for coffee with Roland when scenes of the attack spread across news channels like wildfire. Regina frantically calling the helpline, desperate for news of Robin after he hadn’t called back again, Henry and Roland rushing home to be with her.

All four of them praying as a family that their Papa, her husband would come home.

 

It hits her all at once when she feels Henry’s arms slide around her as she stares blankly at the television.

The hell isn’t over.

Robin is still out there.

Robin didn’t come home.

_It was all all a dream._


End file.
